To Her Heart She Would Be True
by sweetlygleaming
Summary: Elizabeth and Ross marry in secret soon after she discovers Ross Poldark is alive! Based on interpretations/portrayals of the characters by actors Aidan Turner & Heida Reed in the BBC 2015 television adaptation. Note: *No book influence*
1. Chapter 1

Ross rose his glass in a toast to Francis & Elizabeth. He later proceeded to exit-a deep melancholy pouring over him.

Elizabeth sat at the dinner table staring forward in contemplation. Her heart continued to beat with shock within her chest.

She felt so many emotions all at once. The man whom she truly loved with her whole heart and soul was not dead but alive! The shock needed to evaporate a bit. It paralysed her for some moments. She felt as if she were frozen. Then, after a silent attack of panic and shock, silent determination began to build within her being. She looked at Francis with a glance of apology and then rose abruptly scurrying fast towards the doorway.

"Elizabeth? Elizabeth! What do you think you are doing? You foolish, foolish girl! Come back here!" Mrs. Chenoweth cackled.

Elizabeth ran onto the outdoor ground past the grand door to Trenwith, and shouted,

"Ross!... Ross!" Her voice varying in pitch each time she said his name.

But, Ross's horse galloped away with great speed and force.

Elizabeth's thoughts at first seeing him alternated between pure jubilation and heartbreak at the circumstances before them. Inevitably, one man would be left heartbroken. She took action turning towards the stable to find a stablehand to ready her own horse. She must find him. She must go to him. She must speak to him. She would not lose him again.

Francis was utterly defeated. He knew not what he could say or do to stop Elizabeth from running to Ross. Shame, embarrassment, cowardice, and lack of confidence overcame him. She had clearly made her choice. He was in horrific awe that Elizabeth seemed to be unafraid of scandal! The Poldark and Chenoweth family names and reputations would be forever tarnished.

...

Elizabeth's beautiful white horse galloped gracefully along the Cornish cliffside.

She found Ross sat at the edge near where they ran along together years before.

He heard her horse's hooves stop behind and near him. He turned. Elizabeth dismounted and stayed back from him-tears filling her eyes as she stood staring in silence.

Ross stood and stared back.

After moments of silence and looks of pure longing, Elizabeth suddenly ran to him and threw her arms around him-dropping her ladylike facade.

"Ross," Elizabeth spoke gently in a conciliatory, sweet tone and began to gently weep.

Ross felt betrayed, but he could not find the strength to refrain from holding her. He needed her. He wanted her.

"I thought you were dead. Everyone believed you dead. How can this be? You are here." Elizabeth spoke between tears. "I need to feel that you're not a ghost."

"Elizabeth," Ross shut his eyes as he held her but after a long embrace, drew back when he spoke again...

"You are betrothed to Francis."

"I must...Please, let me find words. There is much to say... I must... confess to you that I do not love him. I could love no one as I love you, Ross. I love you-you and no other. I thought you were dead. Francis and I-we were to be a marriage of convenience. My mother and your uncle thought it a smart match...You know my mother's desire for me to be a great lady...Francis proposed and I agreed only in believing that I would never have the chance to be with you-that you were gone forever from this world. Francis is a good man, from a good family. Though I do not truly love him as I have always loved you, I followed our families' wishes. The tears continued to flow and stream down her face.

"Francis has everything; whereas, I have nothing."

"No," Elizabeth brushed her face close to his. Ross dropped his defenses.

"We belong to each other." Elizabeth answered.

She raised her face to draw her lips closer to his very slowly, hesitant of his feelings in these moments. They both experienced a whirlwind of emotions. All she could conclude was that she truly needed Ross. She loved him-him and no other. She was determined. She would kiss him. She lovingly opened her mouth to encourage their lips to meet. Ross responded with sudden and powerful passion.


	2. Chapter 2

Elizabeth took Francis's hand in hers and placed the ring he gave her at the center of his palm.

They were in the library of Trenwith.

"I know that no manner of apology however grand can be of any meaning to you, but allow me to speak and say that you are a good man. You deserve a woman who will truly love you forsaking all others. My heart belongs to Ross and always will. You know this. We believed him dead. And now discovering that he is very much alive, I will never abandon him."

"But, you will abandon me...". Francis scowled.

"Francis, I...I truly apologise for the pain this causes you. I..."

"No. Go. Speak no more. Leave me."

Elizabeth swallowed the feeling of a lump in her throat and looked down as she exited.

Her mother met her in the hallway.

"What have you done?" She glared wickedly at her daughter. Elizabeth gave no response and continued walking.

She then yanked her daughter by the arm. "Answer me, you stupid, stupid girl!" Then Mrs. Chenoweth snatched Elizabeth's wrist and examined her fingers noticing her ring finger was bare. Francis's gift of a ring as a sign of their betrothal was gone.

"You may not do this! You would leave fortune and comfort for that scoundrel... that reckless man! How dare you! Why, you ungrateful little..."

"I love him, Mother! More than anything..."

"He can offer you nothing!" Mrs. Chenoweth snarled.

"You're wrong." Elizabeth replied. She moved away from her continuing her path down the hall.

"Have I not raised you better than this? You willingly choose a life of squalor over luxury. And in doing so, you condemn me to such a life as well! Everything I have done was to make you a grand lady, and all for nothing! Where is your gratitude! You selfish, beastly girl! Elizabeth, if you walk out that door now, you will bring nothing but shame upon this family, and I will have nothing more to do with you." Mrs. Chenoweth warned.

"So be it, Mother." Elizabeth looked at her mother's angry expression.

Her mother strided aristocratically slowly towards her and stared at her daughter in silence frowning. Elizabeth in turn looked at her mother's face in silence. Mrs. Chenoweth then raised her arm swiftly to strike her daughter harshly across the face.

Elizabeth gasped but resisted tears and lifted her face once more to look foward. She would not allow her mother the satisfaction of an intense reaction, so she chose to revert back to ladylike composure.

After another moment of silence, Elizabeth spoke, "Goodbye, Mother."


	3. Chapter 3

Ross busied himself restoring his family home Nampara to its former glory. His intentions were to make Elizabeth Mistress of it, and he wanted her to be pleased and proud of their home. Elizabeth rode out to Nampara to meet him.

She dismounted. He rushed to her to kiss her hands.

"My love," he spoke to her.

Elizabeth had let her hair down after her departure from Trenwith, and it blew wildly beautiful in the wind. Her physical unbinding of her hair was symbolic of her new-found freedom from the cage of an arrangement she never truly desired.

When Ross brushed the locks of hair that had blown in front of her face back, he began to see bruising forming upon her cheekbone.

"What's happened? Who did this to you?"

"Nevermind, my darling." She answered, "Let us not distress ourselves, for it was a small price to pay for true happiness and love."

Ross frowned.

"Truth be told, I've...I've nowhere to stay tonight. My mother...she's...well, she's disowned me, to be quite frank..."

"Elizabeth," Ross spoke with pity in his tone. He was regretful of her having been treated such.

Elizabeth looked away veering away from the notion of where she would sleep for a moment.

"Ross, should you not rest? You labour too long and hard. I don't want you to injure yourself. Please, perhaps, I could do something. I should think I could do something to help with the cleaning of the interiors at least."

"No, you shall not be my maid or drudge. You're a lady. You're...my...lady." Ross responded.

Elizabeth smiled, "But, you could use another hand at least, could you not? I believe you underestimate my abilities, Sir. Perhaps, I have hidden talents."

Ross chuckled.

Elizabeth continued, "Or, perhaps I could learn to do some chores at least. Perhaps, you could teach me? I should like to be of use. I could learn quickly, I suspect."

Elizabeth's gentle and genuinely sweet tone enchanted Ross. He took her in his arms suddenly to kiss her.

"Oh..." she breathed. "Mmmm," she softly moaned.

"Oh, we must be married as soon as possible." She spoke aloud her internal thoughts, and Ross's eyes lit up with happiness.

Elizabeth in her jubilation and gratitude for Ross's living cast aside all notions of societal expectations. Scandalous or not, she would be with Ross. They would not be parted again.

"Miss Chenoweth, was that a proposal?" He giggled.

"Not a proper one, Captain Poldark," and she gave him a knowing glance.

"Elizabeth," he made eye contact with her ever so lovingly.

"I cherish you. From the moment I set eyes on you, no one else existed. Do you choose to spend your life with me? Forever?"

"I do. I will." She answered and they happily giggled together, as Ross raised Elizabeth from the ground and twirled her around.


	4. Chapter 4

Ross worried Nampara was not grand enough for Elizabeth and that her soon-to-be home would not please her.

Whilst he was clearing and tending to the exterior, friends had helped clear and ready the interior. His father's servants Jud and Prudie were too lazy to be of much use.

Elizabeth looked worried as to where she would sleep that night. Ross didn't expect her spending the night at Nampara so soon but desired it...He wished her near him.

Ross coaxed her, "Stay here. You'll be safe here, of course, this night and any night after, for I shall soon call you Mistress Poldark of Nampara."

Elizabeth kissed him.

When the kiss broke, Ross spoke.

"What I cannot offer you in wealth or grandeur, I offer you in love and devotion. Elizabeth, I offer you my whole heart. For always..."

"Ross, I'll keep it safe. You must know, I care not for a gilded or glittering palace if I have not you there. Nampara will be our kingdom and castle. All I really need is you." Passionate kissing ensued. Elizabeth could barely bring herself to stop. Her skin felt aflame. She quivered longingly in his hold. However, they've waited this long...she wanted the union of their bodies to be a sacred event and as a sealing of their vows after they were wed.

"Soon, my love..." she nuzzled Ross.

...

A month since Ross Poldark's return...

It was no secret that George Warleggan had long since taken a liking to Elizabeth Chenoweth. Her beauty was beyond compare. He marvelled at her gracefulness and lusted after her, in fact. It was an unrequited obsession. Talk had soon reached him of her broken engagement to Francis for Ross Poldark.

"So, Ross Poldark is alive and now has taken back what was stolen from him. I would never have imagined Elizabeth Chenoweth to act so...

"Like a common harlot..." George's Uncle Cary Warleggan cut in.

"I was going to say so rebelliously-to go against her mother's wishes...to leave her intended for a scoundrel-a wastrel of a man."

The butler had shown Ruth Teague in unbeknownst to George. She had her sights set on George Warleggan what with Ross Poldark unattainable. She stood in the door frame as George and Cary Warleggan spoke listening to their conversation.

"The Chenoweth girl's mother has disowned her. That cannot speak well of any future though meager inheritance. I suppose the girl is now living in sin with the dark Poldark." Cary Warleggan snarled.

"Oh, no indeed, Sir. For I've heard tell they've married this very day. In secret. Though a secret it is no longer." Ruth gossiped with a smirk.


	5. Chapter 5

Ross & Elizabeth arrived back at Nampara. They sat at the table to eat their wedding feast blissfully smiling at each other. Elizabeth did not eat much. She kept her focus on Ross. Her eyes were sparkling.

"Are you not hungry?" Ross asked since he finished his plate. Elizabeth blushed in a suggestive reply.

Jud and Prudie left the newlyweds alone together after clearing the table.

Elizabeth stood and walked round to him...

"Husband," she gathered his hands in hers, sweetly drawing him up from the table. "I think it's nearly time we retreat to our bedroom, do you not?"

Ross gave her a look of wonder.

Prudie then abruptly re-entered as if she'd been listening in.

"Mr. Ross, go wash up and give the lady a moment..." Ross and Elizabeth laughed off the unwelcome interruption.

Prudie had the bedroom prepared. With Ross not yet present in the bedroom, Elizabeth changed into her dressing robe and nightgown.

She spoke to Prudie.

"Oh, perhaps...I should have stayed in something else or less...covered. What pleasure will he find in this?" She fretted tugging at her long gown.

"Stop ye worrying, Mistress. Ye won't be wearin' it long, no doubt." Elizabeth turned crimson. She'd have to get used to crude manners from Prudie. No manner of instruction on etiquette could change her, Elizabeth knew. Though, Elizabeth herself spoke less properly and unladylike first in that case, garnering such a reply. Prudie lay Elizabeth's wedding ensemble delicately across the settee and exited to fetch Ross. Elizabeth requested him in the bedroom.

...

Ross was filled with passion for his wife but was not entirely sure of her expectations for the night. He didn't want to overwhelm her or displease her in any way, so he let her take charge at first. He thought it best to proceed slowly, though he could hardly contain his desire. Years of passion and longing would finally be sated for the first time.

She placed her hands on his shoulders to gently guide him to sit on the bed.

In all her rushing away to change, she had not unpinned her hair from it's wedding style. She stood before him first unpinning and letting her hair down long and free. Then a pause...

"Undress me, Ross." She whispered gently yet seductively and with an almost musical floating quality to her tone of voice.

His body trembled with urgent need.

His hands took hold of the folds of her robe and guided it down lovingly off of her body.

She stood before him in one more layer- her nightgown.

"Is this moment real? Or have I only imagined it?" Ross said in his deep velvety voice. "Are you real?"

Ross then molded his hands over the outline of her body as she was still dressed. He slid his hands along the silhouette of her form down to her hips as if he were her sculptor.

Elizabeth closed her eyes in her pleasure. Her body burned at his touch.

"Yes," she breathed, "we are...together...This moment is real."

Her nightgown tied at the back. His arms circled her to reach the tie.

Loosening it, he drew her nightgown down from her body slowly.

His eyes glimmered as he gazed at her.

She stood before him naked with a slightly timid look appearing across her face in her hopes that her body would please him.

Ross gathered her into an embrace as if shielding her from her shyness. His arms enveloped her and she felt so comfortable.

"Mistress Poldark, can you remedy this?" Ross implied that he required undressing as well. In Ross's arms, Elizabeth felt no longer shy and made quick work of her husband's clothing as their passion built.

Elizabeth had never known such carnal pleasure nor Ross the soulful reciprocation of such a powerful love and romantic connection-bodies and souls uniting.

They breathed heavily together as their lips explored each other's bodies. Elizabeth's fingers ever so feather light with tenderness caressed and traced his scar on his face. Elizabeth's sweet sighs of pleasure earned a moan from Ross in response. Elizabeth's body harshly trembled as Ross penetrated her, but he was quick to soothe her with his lips upon hers and dragging his mouth tenderly and almost in a massaging manner down her jaw, neck, throat, and chest as her head was lifted in reaction to the joining of their bodies as one. Her fingers laced through his hair lovingly.

His hands pulled her hips towards him and he re-positioned her body trying to find the most comfortable and blissful position for her. It soon became evident he had.

"Ross," she called his name. "Can I be in your arms always?" It was a sweet rhetorical nothing spoken out of pure ecstasy. She rested her head against his shoulder. Their entire bodies embraced each other. "I love you!" Elizabeth whispered at the same time as Ross, and they laughed in contentment.


End file.
